I’m 100% Orange Irish. For those who don’t know the difference, in a nutshell: Green are from the south, Catholic and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Orange are from the north, Protestant and celebrate July the 12th. (The story goes much deeper; I’ll save that for another day!)
Although I’ve been Jewish for over 20 years, I was brought up in a definitely Orange household and we never had corned beef or celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. Americans go crazy over the holiday, so I play along with the hype and make Hubby a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal each year. Gotta admit … it’s pretty darned tasty no matter your religion or politics!
Living on a boat, we try to be conscious of the use of our resources (water, propane, batteries). We love soups and stews in the winter, but using four hours of propane to boil corned beef is a bit much. So I did some research and found that it can be baked in half the time! It was absolutely delish … so tender and firm. I’ll never boil corned beef again!
I’m a big fan of one-pot meals. Living on a boat, I have very little counter space and the dishwasher is me for the most part so the less items, the better. My prep surfaces are on top of the sink, stove and fridge so I need to stage all ingredients, chop and measure, and be ready to go. This recipe comes together in about 20 minutes and thickens as it sits: serious comfort food!
Sometimes the simplest meals are the most delicious. It’s all about using fresh ingredients that pair nicely together. Our local 
It has been brrrrrrr on our little piece of the Alameda Riviera in Northern California this week. We rarely dip below the mid-50s in the winter and we were seeing low-40s … This weather calls for soup! This meatball soup is inexpensive and easy to assemble. Our local 
Probably my favorite thing about our local 
I love portobello mushrooms as they have a “meaty” texture and I can sneak in a vegetarian night without hubby complaining. This is a quick and easy meal with lots of options to use whatever fresh veggies are on hand or sale. Our local 
I love lazy weekend fall mornings when I can whip up something warm and yummy for hubby and I for brunch while watching a football game. I don’t love all the dishes when I want to relax after filling my belly. This strata is made the night before in a large Ziploc bag and then simply placed in a pan and baked; easy and virtually no mess! A side of hashbrowns and fresh fruit rounds out the meal nicely.
Winter and spring are perfect for meals that require oven time. Living on a boat, we opt for barbecuing most of our summer and fall main courses so we don’t heat up our living space. But when the cold winds are a’blowin’ the oven helps to keep us cozy and fills our home with a delicious aroma as we tuck in against the elements.
